Michigan GOP governor candidate Tudor Dixon vows to criminalize adults including kids in drag shows

Michigan GOP gubernatorial candidate Tudor Dixon vowed over the weekend that if elected she would sign a bill establishing criminal penalties for adults who "involve children in drag shows."

Dixon, a former conservative pundit and host on the Real America's Voice livestream network, posted to her Twitter account in response to a tweet from journalist Andy Ngo, who had shared images from a drag event for children at a Dallas bar titled "Drag the Kids to Pride." 

This past weekend was the first in LGBTQI+ Pride Month.

Republicans are hoping for primary nominee strong enough to unseat Democrat Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who has been criticized for what critics consider her heavy-handed health-safety measures during the height of the pandemic. 

Several days ago, a decision by the Michigan Supreme Court denied the requests of several Republican candidates for governor to have their respective campaigns reinstated for the August primary.

The decision knocked former Detroit police Chief Jams Craig, self-funding businessman Perry Johnson and Michael Markey off the ballot. Each candidate's campaign had been found to have submitted forged signatures when filing to appear on the primary ballot.

Craig and Johnson were the race's two frontrunners. Dixon's campaign also got a boost from an endorsement Michigan's powerful DeVos political family.

Betsy DeVos served as the Trump administration's secretary of Education. The endorsement is expected to help Dixon's fundraising efforts, which has lagged compared to other candidates. 

Also in the race are Garrett Soldano, a chiropractor with a grassroots following, and Kevin Rinke, a former car dealer with name recognition around the Detroit-area.